Railway-spike.



m. 874,055. PATENTED DEC. 17, 1907.

' H. J. DYKBS.

RAILWAY SPIKE. APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 9, 1907.

HUGH J". DYKES, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

RAILWAY-SPIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1907.

. Application filed February 9. 1907. Serial No. 356.544-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH J, DYKES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and .useful Improvements in Railway-Spikes, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention. relates to the class of railway spikes.

The general objects of rnyinvention may be, briefly, stated to be to provide a wedging action on the rail in drivingthe spike, a maximum bite in the wood into which the spike is driven, and a positive, permanent engagement between the rail and the spike y when the latter is driven home.

To these ends my invention consists in the novel construction of the spike, which I shall, hereinafter, fully describe.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a section of a rail and cross-tie, showing the spikes in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the spike, taken from the back. Fig. 3 is a similar view from the front;

The spike 1 has a flanged or peak-head 2. From the head the spike body has a general inclination outwardly or backwardly, so that its point 3 lies in a vertical plane back of the head.

The back of the spike body, from the back of the head, is curved to or nearly to its point; as is indicated by a:m, on an are or arcs taken from a center or centers back of the spike, so that, for convenience, the back of the spike may be termed concave.

Under the front or peak of the spike-head is formed a throat a, and from the lower wall of this threat, the front of the spike, down to a short distance from the point, is a straight plane, as is indicated by ---g and thence the front is curved to th e point.

In driving the spike, its point is first set up against the flange 5 of the rail 6, and the spike. is driven into the tie 7. it is driven down, the straight fruit 'j/ ii/ of the spike hugs the edge of the flange, with constantly increasing pressure; for, on account of the general outx vard or backward inclination. of the spilre-ixydy, it is forced, at an outward angle, into the wood, its curved back incrensin this eil'eet and augmenting its bite in'th until when driven home, the "inns its throat 4L into a close against the rail-iiange, assuming the position shown in Fig. 1. This is true with regard to one spike; and it will readily be seen that the opposite spike when driven, will have the effect of clamping the rail-flange between the two spikes with what may be termed a wedging pressure.

To remove the spike, it is forced back by the insertion of the point of a crow-bar between the peak-edge of the head 2 and the Web of the rail, thereby relieving its throat from'the rail-flange; whereupon the spike can be withdrawn.

For such spikes as have to engage the rails at the fish-plates or connections between rails, the throat 4 Will, of course, be made wide enough plates or connections, in addition to the railflange.

By the use of a spike, shaped as I have described, there result these marked advan tages, namely, a driving of the spike with a ,wedging action afirrn bite on the wood; and a secure and positive engagement, b reason.

of the throat, with the rail-flan e, w ieh last named result will cause the rai and spike to remain together, thespike risingcwith the rail, and being forced down again with it; thereby avoiding the separation which takes place when the ordinary s ike, after rising with the rail, remains raise when the rail is depressed. Also, the shape of the spike I have described, is such that even when its bite is partially loosened by the working of the rail, the loose area of its seat is a mini-- mum one, requiring for its extension, sub stantially as much pressure as that which first loosened it.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

A railway-spike having a'fianged head with an underlying throat to embrace the rail-- flange, and a body inclined backwardly from said head, the back of the body being concave in the direction of and substantially throughout its length, and its front, from the lojr'ei wall of the throat, being a straight ilane down to the vicinity of its point, and t mnee curved to said point.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presei'ice of two subscribing witnesses.

' HUGH J. lli K135i.

Witnesses N. A. Aerrnn, L. E. Wrtnms.

to embrace the foot of such 

